This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," February 17, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Tonight: It's done. You just spent $788 billion today. With the stroke of the pen, President Obama signed the massive stimulus bill into law. It happened in Colorado. Meanwhile -- get this -- GM and Chrysler are again asking for billions more of your money. GM says it needs $16.6 billion more on top of the $13.4 billion it has already received from you. Chrysler wants another $5 billion in addition to the $4 billion that it was initially given. The White House says it will review the auto makers' new request. We'll have much more on this later.
But first, part two of the interview you will see nowhere else, 18-year-old Bristol Palin, her baby, Tripp, and the governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. Bristol was talking only to you about her life as a teen mother. We showed you some last night but saved the best for last.
In part one of our interview, Bristol dropped some bombshells.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VAN SUSTEREN: Is this what you expected?
BRISTOL PALIN, GOV. SARAH PALIN'S DAUGHTER: I don't know if it's what I expected, but -- it's just a lot different.
VAN SUSTEREN: You had no hint of the sort of the demands of being a new mother.
BRISTOL PALIN: Well, it's not just the baby that's hard. It's just, like, I'm not living for myself anymore. It's, like, for another person, so it's different.
VAN SUSTEREN: If you and I were talking a year ago and I said, What do you think's going to happen in your life, what do you think you would have told me?
BRISTOL PALIN: I honestly have no idea because I never would have thought I would have been a mom and I never would have thought my mom was going to be chosen for vice president.
VAN SUSTEREN: Take me back to a year ago, when you first discovered you were going to be a mother. You -- I imagine you had to tell your parents.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes, which was, like, harder than labor.
VAN SUSTEREN: What was the reaction of your mother and your father?
BRISTOL PALIN: They were scared just because I have to -- I had to grow up a lot faster than they ever would have imagined.
VAN SUSTEREN: Any sort of -- I mean -- and I realize, you know, what joy a child brings to a family. But was there any sort of thinking that maybe -- did you have any sort of sense about, I wish that maybe this would happen a year or two from now, rather than now?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes. Of course. I wished it would have happened in, like, 10 years so I could have a job and an education and be, like, prepared and have my own house and stuff. But he brings so much joy, I don't regret it at all. I just wish it would have happened in 10 years, rather than right now.
VAN SUSTEREN: You know -- you know, we all learned about it in August or so, after -- and the media, I guess, dogged you a little bit.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: What was your reaction to that?
BRISTOL PALIN: I mostly just didn't pay attention to it because my family's strong and it doesn't matter what the -- like, what tabloids say or anything like that.
VAN SUSTEREN: Did you read any of the tabloids?
BRISTOL PALIN: I've seen some of them, and I think people out there are just evil because they don't know what was going on at all.
VAN SUSTEREN: What didn't anybody get? What didn't people understand?
BRISTOL PALIN: That -- there's a lot of things. They thought that, like, my mom was going to make me have the baby, and it was my choice to have the baby. And it's just -- that kind of stuff just bothered me.
VAN SUSTEREN: How about Levi? How is he taking all this?
BRISTOL PALIN: Well, he's a really hands-on dad. He's just in love with him as much as I am.
VAN SUSTEREN: Does he -- how often does he see his son?
BRISTOL PALIN: He sees him every day.
VAN SUSTEREN: What are your plans?
BRISTOL PALIN: Eventually, we'd like to get married. We're focusing on, like, getting through school and just getting an education and stuff, getting a career going.
VAN SUSTEREN: It's tough -- I mean, it's, like, you get -- I mean, it's tough to do the school, do the planning. You're a new mother. You know, I can't imagine, you know, sort of the overwhelming nature of it right now.
BRISTOL PALIN: Well, I'm just blessed to have a huge family that helps out, and I think that's, like, the main thing that I have.
VAN SUSTEREN: And speaking of the joy, here it is.
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), FORMER VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Do you want this joy?
VAN SUSTEREN: It is the grandmother. I was expecting a different grandmother, though. I was expecting...
SARAH PALIN: She's out in the hallway. I've got the -- I've got the (INAUDIBLE) here.
VAN SUSTEREN: Oh, look at him!
BRISTOL PALIN: I know. He's getting huge.
VAN SUSTEREN: He is getting huge?
BRISTOL PALIN: He's getting huge. Hello, handsome!
VAN SUSTEREN: Hello, Governor.
SARAH PALIN: How are you?
VAN SUSTEREN: We weren't expecting you because Bristol -- she told me that she had just sort of sprung the interview on you.
SARAH PALIN: Yes!
VAN SUSTEREN: And this is her idea about -- talking about the big picture of teen pregnancy.
SARAH PALIN: Yes. Yes. And I'm proud of her, too, wanting to take on an advocacy role and, you know, just let other girls know that this is - - it's not the most ideal situation, but certainly, make the most of it. And Bristol is a strong and bold young woman and she is an amazing mom. And this little baby is very lucky to have her as a mama. He's going to be just fine. We're very proud of Bristol.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, you know, but it's -- I mean, you look at this, and it's joy in this family. You know, and some families aren't...
SARAH PALIN: Oh, yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: You know, some families don't have the broad family support. I mean, she's got the brothers and the sisters and the parents and the grandparents.
SARAH PALIN: We have five generations helping right now.
VAN SUSTEREN: Nonetheless, a surprise to you and the "First Dude."
SARAH PALIN: Yes! Yes!
VAN SUSTEREN: You're grandparents at an early -- at a young age yourselves.
SARAH PALIN: I'm still getting used to having a -- you know, my last child, Trig, much less that, you know, knowing that we would have another little bundle of joy in our midst. So yes, it was a surprise. It was a shock.
VAN SUSTEREN: Did you give her hell or were you -- at first? I mean, what...
SARAH PALIN: Yes, I kind of did. I mean, I was...
BRISTOL PALIN: We were all surprised.
SARAH PALIN: We were all surprised. Let me put it this way. And this is -- I think Bristol's kind of an example of, truly, it can happen to anybody. Bristol, great athlete, great student, great aspirations that she had for herself, plans that didn't include a baby, of course, but it did happen to her and now again, less than ideal circumstances, but we make the most of it. She, I think, of all of her friends even, can handle it.
VAN SUSTEREN: Isn't sort of the bigger story and the bigger issue is that how important it is for families to pitch in.
SARAH PALIN: It would be a different story. It would be some sad and some dire circumstances, I think, if the family doesn't all really kind of circle the wagons and help one another at a time like this. This is what family is for, also, to pitch in. And I'm proud of Bristol for accepting the help, too, that's being offered her by her grandmother, her great-grandma, her great-great-grandma, and aunts and cousins and -- we're very thankful to be in the situation that we are with so much help.
I don't know how other families do it, if they've got to assume that the young parents are going to make it on their own or assume that government will take care of the young parent and that child. That's not government's role. But this is a role for families to pitch in and help.
VAN SUSTEREN: So it's not just an issue of abstinence. That's one issue. But once we get beyond that -- you know, because when you have the discussion of abstinence, it's almost -- I always sort of feel badly because there's a wonderful child here and talking abstinence sounds -- I mean, it sounds...
SARAH PALIN: It sounds naive, Greta. It does.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, it doesn't even -- it doesn't even sound naive, but it doesn't sound very nice because this is a wonderful young boy.
SARAH PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: You know, I mean, and so I hate to have that topic...
SARAH PALIN: I hear you.
VAN SUSTEREN: You know, the bigger topic is, OK, now the situation -- the bigger question is, like, now -- you know, how to make it go right.
SARAH PALIN: Exactly. Exactly. So you get beyond that, that ideal of, yes, abstinence, you know? Hey, don't get pregnant. Well, get beyond that when it happens, and then you deal with it. Life happens. Life happens and you deal with it, and Bristol's dealing with it wonderfully.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAN SUSTEREN: Now, here's you did not see last night. How did Governor Palin react when she first got the word that her 17-year-old Bristol was pregnant.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VAN SUSTEREN: So what did you and Todd say when she left the room after she told you?
GOV. SARAH PALIN: I -- we were speechless, really. Well, so was Bristol. It took her best friend, who was with her and Levi when they told us -- took her best friend to finally blurt it out, after Bristol said, "Mom, what's the worst thing that you can imagine?" And of course, going through my head were a lot of worse things than...
VAN SUSTEREN: That was smart.
(CROSSTALK)
VAN SUSTEREN: ... Really clever.
SARAH PALIN: ... Because, of course, I thought worse things than Bristol being pregnant. But it took her girlfriend to spit it out that, "Bristol's pregnant." And yes, after -- after they finally left the room, I mean, Todd and I just looked at each other, like, "Wow, what an unpredictable life that we and everybody else lives."
VAN SUSTEREN: That was a very clever way to set it up, though.
SARAH PALIN: See?
(CROSSTALK)
BRISTOL PALIN: ... Harder than labor, really (INAUDIBLE)
SARAH PALIN: Yes, she did tell me that, it was tougher than going through labor was telling me that she was pregnant.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: Did you practice this, telling her?
BRISTOL PALIN: Just on the drive to my house, we were all, just, like, What are we going to do? Just -- we weren't practicing what to say because that's something you can't just practice.
VAN SUSTEREN: Who were you worried about more telling, your mother or your father?
BRISTOL PALIN: My mom, definitely.
VAN SUSTEREN: Are you the disciplinarian?
SARAH PALIN: Todd and I share in that. But you know, Bristol -- she's -- she's made good decisions. She really has. She's a smart girl, and you know, she's never needed us to really tell her what she can and can't do. She's made her decisions. But yes, Todd and I share in the disciplinary acts that have to -- have to be undertaken in the family.
VAN SUSTEREN: What about the friend? What did you -- I mean, for some reason, the concept of bringing the friend -- what did you say to the friend, "Thanks for telling me"?
SARAH PALIN: Yes!
VAN SUSTEREN: Maybe Bristol can tell me (INAUDIBLE)
SARAH PALIN: Yes, right!
(LAUGHTER)
SARAH PALIN: In fact, I wasn't ever clear on why -- why she was there. But that helped, though, didn't it.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes, it did.
SARAH PALIN: Yes, it did, you know, calling on friends, a friend who will have been loyal to Bristol through all these years, and loyal, in fact, even after all the hoopla regarding Bristol's pregnancy and giving birth to Tripp, where some of her friends have -- you know, they've talked to The National Enquirer, and they've...
BRISTOL PALIN: They're not friends, though.
SARAH PALIN: Well, right. And that's what you find out, is who are your loyal friends. And in this case, it was that particular friend has proven herself that she's loyal and...
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes. Of course.
SARAH PALIN: And amazing.
VAN SUSTEREN: But even now, you think of the difficulty being, you know, young, although, you know, Bristol certainly seems like a -- you know, a very much more mature than I was at that age, I might add. But she's got the pregnancy at an early age, and she's got the spotlight, the media being all over her...
(CROSSTALK)
SARAH PALIN: It's a double whammy.
VAN SUSTEREN: A double whammy.
SARAH PALIN: Right. Right. Yes, that makes it more challenging, of course. And Levi also. I think what they have discovered through this is that they're -- and maybe Bristol talked about this, about, you know, physically how tough this is, how challenging it is to have a baby, this baby in particular. He doesn't sleep a whole lot!
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
SARAH PALIN: So Bristol's up...
BRISTOL PALIN: It's exhausting.
SARAH PALIN: ... Yes, pretty much all the night, through the night...
(CROSSTALK)
VAN SUSTEREN: He's sleeping now. He's sleeping now.
SARAH PALIN: Yes (INAUDIBLE) blessing. And then she gets up and goes to school and she does her thing. But so physically, there's challenges there. But I think probably the greatest challenge is just the realization that everything has changed in terms of plans for themselves, for Levi, with his hockey and with what he wanted to do, and Bristol's plans also. Things have just so drastically shifted for them.
VAN SUSTEREN: You know, it was interesting, though, as I watched your family -- and I've been lucky enough to be in your home and also to see you at the convention and everything. I've seen the family. It seems like, you know, someone will have a baby on the hip, someone will be grabbing a diaper, someone's got a bottle. I mean, everyone seems to be moving almost, it's, like, in sync. You know, everyone's busy.
SARAH PALIN: Yes. It's a pretty well-oiled machine. And if you'll notice, too, it's not just the gals who are changing the diapers and making the bottles. It's Dad. It's Grandpa. It's uncles. Everybody's in this together.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, I -- you know, I've said often that the "first dude" -- I always wondered why he wasn't -- get some award from all the feminists because he -- you know -- you know, from the outside, he's doing what all the women wanted, you know, the guy -- the guy who's helping and pitching in.
SARAH PALIN: If only they knew, yes. I think that they would embrace what Todd represents, and that is equality. And that's -- he lives it out, he doesn't talk about it. So yes, I would think, too, that they could appreciate him.
VAN SUSTEREN: So quiet. He's sleeping now. Now he's sleeping. Maybe he's like an owl or something. I mean, don't they -- whatever is nocturnal. What -- he's up all night?
SARAH PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: I assume he can -- he seems very quiet. I assume he can squeal?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes, he can squeal
SARAH PALIN: Yes. And Bristol said, too, about day four, she's, like, Wow, he cries like no other.
(LAUGHTER)
SARAH PALIN: We're so used to Trig being so mellow and quiet. (INAUDIBLE) easy baby, too. She certainly helped raise these two little children.
VAN SUSTEREN: How is Trig?
SARAH PALIN: He's out there. He's out in the hallway, too. He's ready to go clobber somebody, he looks like. He's all wound up right now. He's doing great.
VAN SUSTEREN: He's the uncle.
SARAH PALIN: Yes, he's the 9-month-old uncle. See? Something's kind of surreal about that, too.
VAN SUSTEREN: It is surreal. Anyway...
SARAH PALIN: It works. It works.
VAN SUSTEREN: I can't imagine him screaming.
SARAH PALIN: Oh, hang around. You'll see. OK, I'm going down to the river.
VAN SUSTEREN: Governor, nice to see you.
(CROSSTALK)
SARAH PALIN: See you guys.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAN SUSTEREN: That breathing you could hear, by the way, was little Tripp, who was leaning on his mother, falling asleep on her microphone on her lapel, and hence you can hear the little child's breathing. So that's what that noise was.
Anyway, up next, more with Bristol and baby Tripp. And guess who else makes an appearance? Tripp's very young uncle. He isn't even a year old. He's Governor Palin's baby son, Trig. Wait until you see these two little Alaskans together.
Then, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani goes "On the Record" about the stimulus bill. It is now officially a law. What did we just get ourselves into? Mayor Giuliani will tell us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAN SUSTEREN: We continue with 18-year-old Bristol Palin and her baby, Tripp. Another special guest went "On the Record," Governor Palin's son and Tripp's uncle, Trig.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VAN SUSTEREN: He's awfully quiet.
(CROSSTALK)
VAN SUSTEREN: This isn't how he is in the middle of the night?
BRISTOL PALIN: No, it's not at all.
VAN SUSTEREN: I think he's sound asleep.
BRISTOL PALIN: He's going to wake up soon.
VAN SUSTEREN: What?
BRISTOL PALIN: He looks just like his dad, though.
VAN SUSTEREN: He does?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes, he does.
VAN SUSTEREN: You can tell he looks like his father? I always hear people say...
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: ... Some baby looks like So-and-So. It looks like a baby to me. It's, like...
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: Why do you think he looks like Levi?
BRISTOL PALIN: He has his nose and he has his eyes and stuff. He has my tiny chin, through.
VAN SUSTEREN: And that -- that baby really squeals all night long?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes!
VAN SUSTEREN: I don't believe it.
(CROSSTALK)
VAN SUSTEREN: It doesn't look like it to me. And he smiles?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes, he does. He giggles and stuff. It's so precious.
VAN SUSTEREN: How is he with Trig?
BRISTOL PALIN: Well, Trigger just wants to, like, suck on his fingers or suck on his goes.
(LAUGHTER)
VAN SUSTEREN: What is -- trig is what, about 8 months older, 6 months older? April to December?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes, I think he's 8 months older.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, he's very sweet.
BRISTOL PALIN: Thank you.
VAN SUSTEREN: So you want more children?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: Not yet, though, right?
BRISTOL PALIN: Not any time soon, no!
(LAUGHTER)
VAN SUSTEREN: It is interesting, though, how -- how lucky you are in so many ways to have your family to help you out.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: Think of all of the young mothers out there who don't have that.
BRISTOL PALIN: I don't know how they would do it at all.
VAN SUSTEREN: Have you met any of them?
BRISTOL PALIN: No, not, like, personally.
VAN SUSTEREN: Oh, look who's coming! Oh, look who's coming, the uncle. Here comes the uncle.
(LAUGHTER)
VAN SUSTEREN: How big is...
BRISTOL PALIN: He's 11 pounds right now.
VAN SUSTEREN: How big was he when he was born?
BRISTOL PALIN: He was 7, 3-and-a-half.
VAN SUSTEREN: So it's just average.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: Perfect.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: And why was he named Tripp? That doesn't (INAUDIBLE)
BRISTOL PALIN: No. Well, I love "T" names just because Trig, Track, and then Todd, Tripp. But he could have been (INAUDIBLE)
VAN SUSTEREN: And his middle name is Easton (ph).
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: Named after?
BRISTOL PALIN: Hockey.
VAN SUSTEREN: Why? Whose idea was that?
BRISTOL PALIN: Levi's.
VAN SUSTEREN: Did you argue with Levi over these names, or did you say, This is what it's going to be?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes, we both just love the name Tripp.
VAN SUSTEREN: So but he -- but -- as a practical matter, usually first-time mothers don't give fathers that much choice on names.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: So it was going to be your choice.
BRISTOL PALIN: I gave him a lot of input, I guess.
VAN SUSTEREN: Into the name?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
Where's a baby? Where's his hand? There's a baby! Can you smile?
VAN SUSTEREN: Your household must be wild.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes. And I wouldn't want it any other way, though.
VAN SUSTEREN: So you graduated?
BRISTOL PALIN: No, I'm going to graduate in May.
VAN SUSTEREN: In high school.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes, with my class.
VAN SUSTEREN: And then what's the plan? Do you have a job plan or just to raise your child, at least short run?
BRISTOL PALIN: Just raise my child and just go to college and stuff.
VAN SUSTEREN: So it's worked out.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes. It has.
VAN SUSTEREN: Did you always think it was going to work out, or did you have feelings of panic during the pregnancy?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes. Definitely panic and -- I'm thankful that he's just happy and healthy.
VAN SUSTEREN: Your friend who joined you at the -- for the -- to tell your mother...
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: Did you ever ask her why she -- why she blurted it out?
BRISTOL PALIN: Because I wasn't going to!
VAN SUSTEREN: What were you doing, just sitting there?
BRISTOL PALIN: I was crying already!
VAN SUSTEREN: And so you're crying, and Levi, is he just sitting there sort of...
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes, just like, Oh, what do I do?
VAN SUSTEREN: Like he's not there, right?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: He's invisible, like a guy?
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes!
VAN SUSTEREN: OK. So you got an invisible guy. You're crying, and your friend's sitting there, and your two parents, in your living room.
BRISTOL PALIN: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: How long did this go on before your -- your friend bailed you out?
BRISTOL PALIN: Ten minutes? Five minutes? And then she just blurted it out.
VAN SUSTEREN: Did your parents say, Why are you crying?
BRISTOL PALIN: No because I had already warned them, What's the worst thing that could happen?
VAN SUSTEREN: What were you thinking as sort of the options? What do you think was going through their mind?
BRISTOL PALIN: I have no idea. I never even have thought about that.
VAN SUSTEREN: How did you come up with that idea? It's actually, you know -- you know, it's sort of strategically smart in a difficult situation. How'd you come up with that?
BRISTOL PALIN: I'm not sure.
VAN SUSTEREN: And what's the conversation been with her since then?
BRISTOL PALIN: We're still best friends.
VAN SUSTEREN: Does she -- do you guys sort of laugh about that, that she told?
BRISTOL PALIN: We haven't really talked about it, but I'm sure we will laugh about it.
VAN SUSTEREN: For some reason, that -- I think that is a quite clever way to handle a very difficult situation. So what's he going to be when he grows up, do you think? What's -- what's he shown any -- what's your guess?
BRISTOL PALIN: Hopefully, he'll play hockey. I mean, I just want him to be happy and healthy and a hard worker.
VAN SUSTEREN: He looks so incredibly comfortable. Imagine that. Imagine if you got to travel like that. Not a care in the world, does he.
BRISTOL PALIN: Not at all.
VAN SUSTEREN: He's very cute.
BRISTOL PALIN: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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